CROWDED ROOM….LIVING IN A MULTICAT HOUSEHOLD

A previous blog has covered what to do if you realise that a cat isn’t by nature, comfortable sharing space with other felines. (See: https://www.ailurophile.co.uk/?p=500)

However, there are some things you can do that are likely to prove beneficial and definitely heighten the chances of a group of cats coexisting in the same home environment more peaceably.

Plenty of resources in different areas of the house are essential. If there aren’t, one cat can get possessive and start guarding things. So, there needs to be food and water in more than one area of the house. Toys, scratching surfaces and beds are all important too. Regardless of if you have a cat flap or not (which in my opinion is a necessity for any cat that is allowed outside, and definitely needed if you have more than one) a litter tray is an absolute must. In a multicat household, many behaviourists believe the rule “one for each cat, plus one extra” is the optimum way to avoid cats exhibiting territory marking indoors or developing inappropriate toileting issues.

There are products that are made to actively reduce stress and anxiety in cats. Things like Pet Remedy (herbal compounds) or Feliway diffusers (synthetic pheromones) can be invaluable to help your feline family feel more at ease around their fellow residents.

Optimising the space you have in terms of vertical areas can be advantageous in a multicat household too. So large cat activity centres – or wall mounted shelves – can prove invaluable. The activity centres are useful because they have both high vantage points and low observation cubbies, as a rule.

Recognising each cats personality is also vital. What’s required in terms of interaction can differ quite substantially. Some cats are happier sitting in a room with you watching a programme, while others need a more hands-on approach, and will want fuss or playtime to be interactive. The more aspects of each personality is catered to, the less tension is likely to manifest in a group, usually.

As stated at the beginning of the blog, there isn’t a surefire way to have a perfectly calm feline family; some cats simply aren’t able to be at their happiest sharing their home. But using these techniques can definitely make the chances a lot higher of your multicat space feeling less pressured for them and therefore, hopefully, more harmonious.